DePaul Coach Pat Kennedy Quits

Published 2:29 pm, Monday, April 25, 2016

DePaul coach Pat Kennedy resigned Tuesday following a 9-19 season in which the Blue Demons failed to even qualify for the Conference USA tournament.

Kennedy said he informed athletic director Bill Bradshaw of his decision Sunday. DePaul scheduled a news conference for Tuesday, and Bradshaw said he would begin a national search for a coach.

Kennedy called the decision the "single most difficult" of his career.

"I believe it is extremely important to know why you're going somewhere and why you're leaving," Kennedy said. "I feel very strongly in my heart that I came to DePaul for all the right reasons, and I have decided to step aside at this time for all the right reasons."

There was speculation about Kennedy's future Friday night when DePaul wrapped up its season with a loss at Marquette. It was the Blue Demons' second straight losing season.

While Kennedy was able to recruit top players from Chicago, he was 67-75 in his five seasons.

The Blue Demons made the NCAA tournament in 2000 for the first time in eight seasons but lost in the opening round. Five players left DePaul early for the NBA, including Quentin Richardson.

Some criticized Kennedy for the early departures, saying the players developed more once they left DePaul.

"In the last few years, things developed that were out of our control," Kennedy said. "The program began moving in a direction that was not beneficial. I never anticipated that we would lose five youngsters to the NBA in a two-year period of time."

Kennedy is 393-276 overall in 22 seasons as a coach, and has made eight trips to the NCAA tournament. He came to DePaul from Florida State, where he led the Seminoles to a 202-131 mark in 11 seasons. The Seminoles also made five NCAA appearances, after just four in the 39 years before Kennedy arrived.

Under Kennedy, Florida State had five 20-win seasons and two more with 19 victories.